This invention relates to food products, and in particular, to hot dogs and methods for preparing same.
The simple hot dog is a perennial favourite among children and adults. Hot dogs, also known as frankfurters, are generally sold in airtight packages of eight or twelve, and are typically cooked by roasting them on a barbecue or over a campfire, or boiling them in a pot of water. Hot dogs are often served in specially designed elongated buns, although many people choose to eat hot dogs without buns.
The hot dog when served without a bun tends to have an uninteresting shape, especially to children. While modifications to the hot dog can be made after cooking to improve its appearance, such as cutting the hot dog into small pieces, these modifications tend to be a nuisance. The hot dog may prove to be too flexible or slippery to cut properly, and the heat emanating from the hot dog may sometimes cause discomfort during the cutting process.
When hot dogs are cooked, sections are sometimes undercooked or overcooked. As a result, the hot dog may have portions with an undesirable taste or texture or which pose a health risk.
There is accordingly a need for an improved hot dog which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
The present invention is directed towards a shaped hot dog comprising a generally cylindrical wiener having a longitudinal axis. The wiener is provided with cuts which extend longitudinally from each end of the wiener a selected distance along the longitudinal axis which maintains a cylindrical middle portion of the wiener intact. The cuts form distal portions extending away from each side of the middle portion which curl outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis on cooking. The cuts preferably comprise a pair of orthogonal, diametrically extending, intersecting cuts.
Another aspect of this invention is a method of forming a shaped hot dog from an elongated, generally cylindrical wiener. Cuts are made that extend longitudinally from each end of the wiener a distance selected to maintain a cylindrical middle portion of the wiener intact. The cuts form distal portions which extend from each side of the intact middle portion. The wiener is then heated using an appropriate cooking means until the distal portions curl outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis.
The subject method preferably involves making a pair of intersecting, orthogonal, diametrically extending cuts. Alternatively, the cuts may extend radially inwardly from the periphery of the wiener. Where radial cuts are used, the cuts are made to a specified depth such that a thin longitudinal axial portion of the wiener remains intact. The distal portions separate upon cooking, allowing them to curl outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis.